


Fallen Heroes

by Sweatersandrainydays



Category: Miraculous Ladybug
Genre: Bee Miraculous, Fox Miraculous, Identity Reveal, Mild Blood, Minor Alya Césaire/Nino Lahiffe, Minor LadyNoir, Minor Violence, Miraculous Holder Alya Césaire, Miraculous Holder Chloé Bourgeois, Miraculous Holder Nino Lahiffe, Turtle Miraculous, one-sided identity reveal
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-07-05
Updated: 2019-07-05
Packaged: 2020-06-09 20:18:11
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,590
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19483249
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Sweatersandrainydays/pseuds/Sweatersandrainydays
Summary: An alternate ending to Hero's Day/Mayura





	Fallen Heroes

**Author's Note:**

  * Inspired by [Fallen Heroes](https://archiveofourown.org/external_works/495709) by cassiestephensart. 



Here's the original comic that inspired this: <https://cassiestephensart.tumblr.com/post/185830157665/fallen-heroes-a-miraculous-comic-so-ive-had>

Hawkmoth stood over the heroes, surveying the damage his akumas had wrought. They were all on the last legs of the transformations, and none of them were in any shape to go anywhere, even just to hide. Ladybug had managed to break off his connection with Catalyst, but that was little concern now, when victory was so close at hand. The heroes had been pathetically easy to beat. A few quick swipes from his sword and a hit from the end of his cane had sent most of them to the ground. In that moment, the only the sound that could’ve been sweeter than the chorus of beeps signaling the countdown to end their transformations would have been his wife’s voice. With luck, he would hear her voice and her laughter again very soon, he could see her smile again. They would be a family again. Adrien would have his mother back. Hawkmoth would disappear as quickly as he had come, and everyone would celebrate. The world would be better off, he was the true hero here. Not any of these children playing dress up. “It’s laughably ironic, isn’t it?” he mused. “On Heroes’ Day, the ‘heroes’ fall.” And the true hero rises.

* * *

Ladybug pulled herself off the ground, every muscle and bone in her body screaming in protest. She was on her fifth transformation of the day, not counting the power-ups they’d used. She’d cast miraculous ladybug so many times, and yet, the damage always seemed to get worse and worse. Her most recent lucky charm had been lost somewhere in the chaos.

She’d severed Hawkmoth’s connection to Catalyst, but not before Chat Noir had taken a blow to the head from Stoneheart protecting her. It was always when he was protecting her. He hadn’t moved since, red steadily staining his blonde hair, and the other heroes weren’t faring much better. Queen Bee was down, paralyzed by her own venom after being thrown around by Horrificator. Ladybug wasn’t sure what kind of shape she’d been in once the venom wore off, but she doubted it would be good. She was breathing at least. Rena Rouge was curled up, clutching the side where Hawkmoth’s saber had cut through. She wouldn’t be fighting anytime soon. Ladybug tried to block out the fact that her best friend was the one bleeding on the ground, and the fact that she probably would’ve been safe with her sisters if it weren’t for her. Carapace’s left eye was damaged and bloody from Hawkmoth’s cane hitting through lens of his googles after the same cane hit him square in the ribs.

She had to find her discarded lucky charm and cast miraculous ladybug. She had to save them. Chloe. Nino. Alya. Chat Noir. They were all counting on her. All of Paris was counting on her.

“Pesky little bug.” Hawkmoth moved towards her. It wasn’t fair. All that work, breaking his connection to Catalyst, freeing those akumatized by Scarlett Moth, everything they did, all she and her friends had fought, and he didn’t have so much as a scratch on himself. “It seems your luck has run out. Hand over your miraculous.”

“L-Ladybug . . .” Rena Rouge gasped, trying to pull herself up. Tears fell from desperation and pain. “No . . .”

* * *

Carapace moved, every breath hurting as he forced himself to stand. The bracelet on his wrist beeped once more, signaling the three-minute mark. Three minutes to protect Ladybug. He could do that. He only had to hold out for three more minutes, give Ladybug enough time to plan. Ladybug had given him the miraculous of the turtle, granting him the power of protection. It was his job to protect her, to protect the miraculous, to protect Paris, to protect Alya. He understood now why Ladybug didn’t want identities revealed if it could be helped. Seeing anyone hurt like this was bad, seeing heroes hurt like this was terrifying, seeing Alya hurt like this was gut wrenching. He hoped Adrien and Marinette and everyone else who hadn’t become a part of Hawkmoth’s army was safe. He hoped the akumatized people they freed were safe. He had to make sure they stayed that way.

Carapace planted himself between Ladybug and Hawkmoth, shield raised. “Back off, dude. I protect the Miraculous.”

He met Hawkmoth’s eyes in a challenge, daring him to try and make a move.

* * *

Hawkmoth almost admired the boy’s courage as he swung out his cane, effortlessly sending the turtle hero flying several feet with a loud crack. Ladybug and Rena Rouge screamed for their friend as he landed several feet away, unmoving. Once he got the miraculouses it wouldn’t matter. What were a few minor injuries to someone with absolute power? He would wipe them away just as easily as he wiped away the memories of playing hero. They would live in a better world, one of his design. Afterall, at his core, that’s what he was, a designer. Their new world would be his masterpiece, more so than any garment he’d ever made.

He turned to Ladybug, finally, it was time to end this. “Now,” he grabbed her by the neck, lifting her off the ground and watching as her blue eyes grew wide in fear, tears streaming down her face. “If you won’t give up the miraculous, I will simply take it by force.” Had these _children_ really thought they could stop him? It was truly laughable.

Ladybug shut her eyes as the last of her transformation gave way, as if that could somehow stop it from happening.

* * *

Chat Noir felt as though someone had dumped a ton of bricks on him, then stuffed his head full of cotton. Even the idea of moving felt painful. He heard voices and sounds around him, but none of it made sense.

Then he heard one word, a name, the only thing distinguishable in all the clutter of his mind. “Marinette.” It sounded like Rena Rouge’s voice.

The sounds became clearer, he heard a thud and a gasp of pain. Ladybug. Then Hawkmoth’s voice. “Little Kwami, where are you hiding?” Had he gotten Ladybug’s earrings? “Well, I suppose it won’t matter when I get the ring.” No. His mind still felt sluggish, but he knew he needed to protect his miraculous, especially if Hawkmoth had Ladybug’s earrings. Ladybug. He needed to protect her too, but where was she? He had to move.

Chat Noir managed to get his face off the ground, but the effort had made his head swim. Too much. Then heard a frantic voice in his head. Not just frantic but angry and . . . scared? _Get up_. Plagg?

He cracked open his eyes and saw a shape standing in front of him, arms spread out, protecting him. “My lady?” his throat felt like fire. “Marinette . . .?”

Out of the corner of his eye he saw Queen Bee holding Rena Rouge back as she lunged to get to Ladybug. _Adrien, get up! We have to protect them, Tikki and Ladybug! Get up!_ Chat Noir tried to move again, every part of his body aching. He had failed. He couldn’t protect her. Marinette still stood her ground. He had to get up. _That’s it, Adrien, I’m going to –_

A loud smack echoed in Chat’s head as Marinette fell to the ground. Hawkmoth had hit her. “Marinette!” Rena Rouge called out again. All Chat Noir could feel was rage. How dare he attack her while she was left vulnerable without a miraculous. How dare he attack her at all.

Suddenly he felt strength surge into his limbs, the cotton fuzz in his mind was gone, but something else had happened. He still felt the same rage and fury, the same desire to protect. No, not the same, but not quite different either. Chat Noir still felt the same protectiveness for Ladybug, the same outrage that Hawkmoth had hit her, but he also felt fear for the kawmi in her bag, Tikki, and it wasn’t quite his fear. No matter what, he had to protect them both.

“All this interference is trying my –” Hawkmoth grunted as Chat Noir’s baton connected with the side of his head, in the same place he had hit Marinette. Blood trickled from the corner of his mouth.

Ladybug’s earrings fell to the ground.

Chat Noir felt his body standing, though he knew he couldn’t have stood on his own. “ _Stay . . . away . . ._ ” he hit Hawkmoth’s leg with his staff, throwing the villain off balance. “ _From . . ._ ” he hit Hawkmoth’s ribs, right where he had struck Carapace. “ _the . . ._ ” he swung at Hawkmoth’s head, but the man dodged to the side. Chat Noir spun his baton as he launched himself into the air, bringing it down hard as Hawkmoth raised his arms to protect himself. “ _Ladybug._ ”

Hawkmoth looked at him in pure terror. Even the other heroes – those who were conscious, began backing away.

* * *

Hawkmoth looked at Chat Noir, by all reasonable logic the boy should have still been on the ground, barely conscious. His hair was streaked red from blood, adding that to other blood streaking across his face, the fangs Hawkmoth could’ve sworn were not there before, and the glowing purple irises – he was already frightening, but all that matched with the growl of his voice and the snarl on his face . . . Chat Noir was terrifying.

“What . . . what are you?” The boy smirked and Hawkmoth knew immediately he preferred the prior look.

“ _I’ve been itching to meet you, Hawkie. The name’s Plagg, god of destruction_.”


End file.
